Pilot Wages
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Alice Springs
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Is "contracting" or casual work good enough?
A long time ago in Adelaide I did casual work for a number of operators at the same time and made a modest income. Many years later I was employing pilots and found that it was not a satisfactory way of running a business. I found that pilots were not always available when I needed them, as they were not earning enough and had other jobs. One bloke used to alweays get home from charter flights earlier than anyone else, and I found that he did this in order to get to his other job on time. Generally casual pilots are broke and unhappy, and this is not good for the pilot or the operator. The only casual pilot I could rely on was a bloke who had his own business. He could drop his work and go flying when he wanted to. But he did the absolute minimum and hurried his planning. So I stopped employing casual pilots. It's not usually a satisfactory arrangement for anyone.
Later I saw a friend "go bush" to operate a C210 at a remote locatio where he was to be paid on an hourly basis only. it was a disaster. He hardly got any hours at all.
Later I saw a friend "go bush" to operate a C210 at a remote locatio where he was to be paid on an hourly basis only. it was a disaster. He hardly got any hours at all.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Australia
Age: 58
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25 years ago, I did casual/contractor flying. I charged/was paid $125 per day VFR and $175/day IFR. Sceva, if I were you charge a day rate rater than hourly. That way your time is not wasted if you aren't flying. Either that or contract out at $300 per hour. I suggest that you join AFAP and get their legal people on the case. Quite plainly you are being blatantly exploited. I would bet that your employer is charging you out at a day rate yet only paying you by the hour.
(This all reminds me of the plight of a mate in the mid-'80s who was doing charters in a Baron somewhere in outback QLD. He had to live in the hangar (to guard the aeroplane and office) and was paid as a 'casual' at $30 per flying hour. He still had to be at the airfield 24/7 to clean things and answer the 'phone. In his 2nd week, he flew 30 hrs and so was paid for that week as a 'full-time' pilot (ie: less than $400) rather than the $900 he was owed. Needless to say, he didn't stay.)
(This all reminds me of the plight of a mate in the mid-'80s who was doing charters in a Baron somewhere in outback QLD. He had to live in the hangar (to guard the aeroplane and office) and was paid as a 'casual' at $30 per flying hour. He still had to be at the airfield 24/7 to clean things and answer the 'phone. In his 2nd week, he flew 30 hrs and so was paid for that week as a 'full-time' pilot (ie: less than $400) rather than the $900 he was owed. Needless to say, he didn't stay.)
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Oz
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-Sign up to AFAP... CHECK!
Getting paid by the hour that I FLY (theory, waiting time away from base not covered, meals only repaid by claiming on the GST @ end of year), just for the record.
Hope my complaining may have helped some other people in the same position!
Thanks for the replies guys, massive help..! (not even my original thread!)
Getting paid by the hour that I FLY (theory, waiting time away from base not covered, meals only repaid by claiming on the GST @ end of year), just for the record.
Hope my complaining may have helped some other people in the same position!
Thanks for the replies guys, massive help..! (not even my original thread!)
